2016 has proven to be a year of BIG books. From sweeping family sagas, to profoundly moving memoirs, superbly funny sci-fi, and beyond, this year’s best-of list was hard to nail down for the wealth of great choices. At the top of the list is The Nix, a debut novel by Nathan Hill that we found to be – simply put – a transcendent listening experience. Bold and brilliant but also totally accessible, The Nix takes the listener to WWII-era Norway, the 1968 Chicago riots, the Iraq war, and even into the worlds of online gaming and classical music, all while remaining character-driven and addictively listenable. Narrator Ari Fliakos elevates this ambitious novel with the kind of performance that makes each and every character feel fully and uniquely formed – an amazing feat for a solo narrator. If you haven’t listened to The Nix yet, we highly recommend it – our Audiobook of the Year – plus all of the other standouts of 2016 highlighted below. –The Audible Editors